Impact of Local Deterioration of Transition Materials on the Stress Behavior of Asphalt Core Walls
LI Yan
SHI Ye
LIU Liangjun
LING Huikun
Abstract：As a critical buffer layer in asphalt concrete core wall dams,the deterioration of transition materials directly impacts the structural safety of the dam.Based on a two-dimensional finite element model,different scenarios of degradation levels,extents,and locations of the transition materials were analyzed to investigate their influence on the stress distribution of the dam.The results showed that localized deterioration of the transition materials significantly increased tensile stresses in both the transition layer and the core wall,especially during rapid water level drawdown,where the tensile stress at the front edge of the connection between the core wall and the base reached its peak.As the degree of deterioration intensified,the disengagement effect of the transition material increased,and the tensile action at the bottom of the core wall near the base connection also rose.Additionally,changes in tensile stress in the transition materials were not significantly related to the extent or location of deterioration,while the maximum tensile stress in the core wall decreased with the expansion of the deteriorated area and reduced further with the increasing depth of deterioration.The deterioration of transition materials altered the stress transfer path within the dam,and the degree of impact exhibited a nonlinear relationship with the deterioration characteristics.These findings provide a theoretical basis for monitoring deterioration,assessing safety,and designing against deterioration in asphalt concrete core wall dams.
Keywords：transition materialasphalt concrete core walllocalized deteriorationstress characteristic
Publication Date：2025-07-20
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：6( 106-111 )